groups - they told us - america usually avoided. >> this was a new development. it was a surprise for us. >> reporter: but after the surprise, history lessons. traditionally anti-american in policy, these groups pulled no punches at their meetings. >> translator: for 14 years you give the fighters of this region the best military training money could buy. you armed and garlanded them to fight the soviets. you have created the mess here. so why are you coming here complaining to us. it is your mess. >> reporter: richard holbrooke also asked to meet jamaat-e-islami. while the organization rallied it's anti-american protests on the streets outside. jamaat presented a critique of u.s. policy and conduct. from the contentious u.s. drone missile strikes in the tribal areas, to the cultural onslaught from the west corrupting muslim youth, to pakistan being dragged into the afghan conflict. pakistan political analyst tareq pirzada says despite the rhetoric, these meetings were political good sense. >> these are pragmatic politicians. they can play to the galleries, they